The Grenada gazette., 1887-11-19

tfQn touching the rules Ior tHe SvNVSVuei
Of teachers In their examinations. 1t Is po'
desjyod to briefly notice the srudItc puzzle
referred to, and 10 ascertain, ifpossiblc. tbct
bearings upon the true qualification ofteaeh
ers and ia what extent they can be taken q
an infaliile guide to the fitness of teacher
ipr the scbo9lrocm. The examiAatton IL di
sided into ten different subjects and thes,
s.hjects, altogether, subdivided into fort,
two questions. with the exceptional spelling
whieh has ten words to which th4 teachers
must put accent and diacrific marks; also
there are four sufExss and three ptihx re.
quiring definitions and examples of each
And rsmember tina, all the questions, etc.,
must be answered ip Writing To a casual
observer the above would seem triae,hgt to
those who have had to answer and write gut
the answers can fully understand what is
comprehended In first grade examination,
and, venture to say, that nearly every one
felt that this matter was almost. ifnot entire-
| ly, rathera farpical display Of o pretentious
knowledge, than exercises tp deyelope indi-
vidual merit
The promise Of breyity necessitatos III an
alysis of only one or twOs questions under
each subject,and will take Geography first.
Tha first question under this head embraces
sixteen only, and all the answers thereto are
not found IN Biographies In general use In
this vicinity nor In those most likely to fall
IN the hands Of the teachers. The third qucs-
ton very modestly asks for description
of one Of our states, and ] don't suppose that
anything short of u first class text book
he nt1lA
one have to be a geographical encyclopedia
and contain in fact what cannot be found In
any book, to be able to come up to the stan
dard these questions indicate: There may he
such monstrosity In Mississippi, but have
serious doubts about 1t. Under the head OF
Spelling you are most graciously insisted to
make little analytical spelling book. Nat
ural Philosophy requires among various 9TH
er things an elaborate analysis Of the Tele-
phone, consisting Of about two pages OF fools
cap. A short expression of the principles
will not be heard. One example In arithme-
tic takes in enough for that subject, but un-
less the other examples are solved the teach
er Is considered failure, Then follows Mem
tai Arithmetic. Getting the correct answers !
Is not sufficient; the analysis is the gauge. |
Here the teachers ability to establish truth |
~ sco'hPiSteiS ignored, ana ne must prepare an |
eiaoorate routine OF reasohings. doubt not
that the party who arranges the examples |
solves them all by Algebra, II indeed he
solves them ataIl. Next comes Philosophy.
one question In this calls for an answer en-
oracihE u ehemlcal analysis OF three articles
u 1000. HOW IN the name OF reason can
a., 4
eachef answer this. since there Is not tab
iiated Analysis given In but very few Of the
on the subject Of physioogy?
i nc should quote from some text book,
'hich as a matter OF necessity he must do,
'ropapiy ~ would not fully coincide, exactly,
WIN some work on the subject, and the
cachef would have to undergo the humility
u neing practically ignorant of school work.
'fooaoiy the asthte questioner hasa book In
men philosophy is treated as chemistry.
hder Reading the first question Ia one that
eiongs strictly TO the higher branch of elo-
u'ioh, II thlhg that IL not taught in the free
chools, except very few. From the fore
oihg IL can pc easily seen thni the questions
'ahsceho the curriculum offree school stud .
~ consequently they are not relevant to {
1e chds desired 10 be accomplished. And in
instance Is II possible to discover wherein
he questions are safe guide toa teachers
PcuIiar fitness for the schoolroom. A par 6
}. Hhay answer questions, but is neither
'ie 10 impart knowledge nor make u practi-
'oie applica'loh OF what the words may |
'hVes' aeeIh II Unnecessary to make any u
'te oi composition, Grammar and History, q
IL s'ihce IL 10 say thai under each of these h
'aas thefe nre questions tina! are beyond t.
e paie oi legitimacy. in Grammar Is a (,
'estioh that involves principles about Q
hch efanlhiarians themselves differ. How
eii Gun teachers be uniform? They may
pe rish1 or wrong according to the text !" .
OK WIN which the Superintendent may be !,
'hiiiaf. Though it is claimed that these Y
.'''"'e h'' i"r the dement, OF both teachers .
ID chi dren of the State, vet may It not be A
quired ii there is not mill somewborethot O
to grind on! teachers with fiye.vear c.rta. n
tes for the public schools? I have not bea,d IL
any teacher in this portion of tho s,,,a o.
tting a State certificate. and IN NV cer,.in ;
owedge there are several iuJgi,,a f.,.,,
=; = u.,,r,, a., ,,.,...;,u ...., 80, =